Wolf Spell
by TheCheeseCat
Summary: After a young woman is taken by the curse of the Worgen, she must suddenly uproot her life and start anew with little knowledge of the world outside of the Greymane Wall.
1. The Curse

Author's Note: A new fanfiction of my Worgen mage, this one is open to critique and examination, since I might have missed some grammar or spelling. Also the brief interaction at the beginning is the only marysueish thing that should be in this story, and I apologize in advance if people disapprove of it.

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**Chapter One**

**The Curse**

Church bells rang out in the distance as light rain continued to soak the ground of the large dark city. Horse hooves were heard clopping down a cobble stone path, the large beast towing behind it a hearse with a few men inside it, holding a casket in place. A few more carriages rode behind it, their dim lanterns lighting the way around them. Soon the carts came to a stop, a freshly dug grave covered by a makeshift tent to keep the dirt somewhat dry from the constant rain.

The men soon got out of the hearse, carefully bringing the casket out with them and hoisting it between them. The occupants of the other carriages began to pour out, among them was a small girl with black hair and blue eyes hidden behind a pair of round glasses, no older then thirteen. She looked almost unaffected by what was going on around her, the rain however was a steady reminder of what had happened today. Umbrellas were lifted to give shelter, two were held in front of a rather fancy looking carriage as the door opened.

Stepping lightly from the cart, King Genn Greymane gently accepted one of the umbrellas, holding it over his head as he looked over the occupants of the group. Slowly the casket was placed beside the hole it was to be lowered into, the king stepping in front of the coffin as he looked it over. The crowd was silent as they watched their king, the girl's attention locked onto the coffin while gentle hands held her in place within the front of the crowd.

"Today we lay the body of Alice Lambelle to rest, her long battle against her illness is finally at an end, and she may rest peacefully in the afterlife. Alice was a wonderful woman, a ray of sunshine in our city, and an loving mother. May her work never be forgotten, may her memory live on forever within the poems she wrote. It is unfortunate that she has left behind her only daughter, but may she rest assured that she will be properly taken care of."

Genn's eyes glanced over to the young girl as he spoke, then offered his hand to her. The girl looked at it, the hands that were once on her shoulders now ushered her forward towards her king. She stumbled lightly as she approached him, he offering her a smile as he took her hand and held it within his own.

"Dear Ceralena, is there anything you wish to say to your mother before she leaves?" The king spoke to her in a gentle tone, trying to offer what comfort he could. Cera looked to him before back to the casket. She couldn't think of anything to say, everything she wanted couldn't return, no matter how she wished it. Slowly the child's head lifted to look at her king, shaking her head slowly with her answer. Genn smiled to her, nodding his head in acceptance of her choice.

"There is no harm in telling her goodbye Cera, if you so wish." He spoke softly to her. "Nor is there any harm in crying."

Cera looked at the man before her, deep blue eyes locked with his. The young girl's bottom lip began to quiver, as if given permission to cry tears began to well up in her eyes before overflowing. It was finally starting to hit her, her mother was gone and was never coming back. She was alone now, no parents like all the other children had. Cera erupted into tears, sobbing into her hands.

Genn knelt and took the child into his arms, offering her comfort as he signaled for the men to lower the casket into it's rightful place. He knew what it meant for someone to be there for her, he had a son of his own he would do the same with, Light forbid it ever happened. With delicate work, the casket was lowered into the grave, the men getting to work on filling it as people bowed their heads in respect and prayer.

"Poor child, what of her father? He's certainly around isn't he?" One of the people within the crowd spoke in a whisper to another.

"Heavens no, didn't you hear? He went missing! Some say he was abducted by Worgen!" Another answered, leaning closer to whisper. The burial was soon finished, the men patting down the dirt with their shovels, while two others took four candles and placed them within the opening of the gravestone, lighting them with small torches.

The king allowed Cera to cry for a while longer before pulling away, allowing for one of his servants to hold the umbrella over his head while he placed both his hands on her shoulders. He spoke to her, words that were meant to offer comfort but only fell on deaf ears. Her heart was shattered and no amount of talking would fix it. With a heavy sigh the king stood, gently placing a hand on her head before she was taken in by one of the crowd.

The ringing of the church bell signaled another soul's passing, each strike rung hard in Cera's ears. One by one everyone was herded back to the carriages, the young girl was escorted into the first one behind the king's own. With a snap of the reins the carriages were off, returning to the city. Again the sound of horse's hooves clopping against the cobblestone hung in the air, the deep blue eyes of the child staring out the window as she took one final look at the grave her mother rested in.

_Five years later..._

"Cera we're closing up for the night, and for Light's sake would you stop eating the apples? You're devouring them faster then we can pick them out of the orchard!" The shop keep of the local grocer called out from the open front door, causing the young woman they were addressing to look up, cheeks filled with half eaten apple while she held the core in her hands. Quickly she swallowed, depositing the core into the trash bin as she reached over a few of the apple bins, pulling on the leather strap tied to a Gilnean satchel.

She pulled it over her shoulder, rushing out the front door of the shop just as the keeper closed it. He turned the key in the lock, locking the door for the night as the lamp lighter passed them, giving them a small tip of his hat as he walked past them to light the rest of the lamps on the street. Cera gave the man a light wave of her own, a soft smile accompanying it. She bid the shop keep farewell as they went their separate ways, the young woman heading out of the city to a small house that was just beyond the limits.

Sheep bleated as they crossed the road in front of her, Cera's hand grasping the strap of her bag as it rested on her shoulder. She waited from the animals to pass before heading on, looking up the the dark house ahead. Approaching the door she withdrew her key, unlocking it and stepping in and shutting the door behind her. The house was dark, empty, lonely, something Ceralena had to face every day, every day for the past five years.

When her mother passed on she had no relatives to stay with, no one could take her in. With the king's approval she was granted permission to live on her own so long as she maintained a job and kept up with the taxes. She had managed to do just that, and keeping up with this promise she was able to keep the house her and her mother had lived on to live in on her own. Dropping her key into her bag she took the satchel off, resting it in an empty chair before wandering around the house, lighting the lamps along the walls. Once the house was pleasantly lit Cera collapsed into a chair, looking up to the ceiling.

Even with what little light there was, the house still felt dark, of course that was her mood talking. She never liked staying home for too long, during the day when she wasn't working she was within the streets of Gilneas, brightening everyone's day. She was the kind of person who would forfeit her own happiness for the sake of others. The house reminded her too much of her mother, the years she had gone without her, without her guidance.

Littered around the house were several books, some of them blank, others printed, some were hand written and half finished. Cera had decided to try her hand at her mother's work, writing poems, stories that inspired hope and happiness. While she knew she'd never be as talented as her, she still had a knack for writing. With a little effort she got to her feet, moving around the piles of books towards the stairs that lead up to the sleeping quarters of the house.

Along the way she dimmed some of the lights, wondering why she lit them in the first place as she licked her fingers and snuffed out the wicks. She sat on the end of her bed, reaching down and taking off her socks and shoes, working off her day clothing as she slipped her dress up over her head. Her figure had grown into that of a young woman in the past years, making for her to grab most of the attention of men. Of course with her limited experience of the opposite gender, she didn't get the whole dating thing, and instead would erupt in a blush if any man got near her.

With arms thrown back behind her head she laid on her bed, focused on the ceiling in silence. This silence was odd though, she had spent many nights in it but this was disturbing. It was too silent. Cera's eyes closed, trying to ignore the odd feeling it gave her and to catch some sleep. Slowly she began drifting to sleep, a few hours of peaceful slumber was given to her.

Sounds of explosions caused Cera to jerk up from her bed, she quickly feeling around for her glasses before she realized they were still on her face. She got up from her bed in a panic as more explosions were heard, rushing to her window to look out towards the city. She didn't see anything, but heard the sounds of people screaming, howling in the night. Tripping out of her bed she grabbed her clothes, putting them on as she rushed down stairs. She fell at the last step, causing her to collide with the chair her satchel was rested on.

The screams continued as she threw open her front door, the strap of her bag in her hand as she rushed out towards the city. Whatever was going on she knew she needed to help. Just outside the city she slid to a stop, her eyes going wide as she took in what was before her. Worgen were running rampant in the city, people fleeing in terror as the beasts made chase after them. Cera took in a large gulp and quickly ran head first into the chaos.

Left and right Worgen were being shot down in the streets, people being attacked, hunted down. Cera quietly made her way through the city streets, hiding behind walls, around corners to avoid the sights of the beasts along her path. She kept her back against the wall, holding onto the leather strap over her chest as she looked to the side, waiting as two Worgen ran past. She slid her back against the wall, slipping into an alleyway and letting out a sigh of relief once she was out of sight. She needed to stop and think what she was going to do now that she had just run head first into what looked like a battle between man and beast.

"Okay … what to do … there are Worgen running rampant though the city, killing people, and I was stupid enough to come running in here without a plan." Ceralena spoke to herself, looking down at the ground. She let out a puff of air, but stopped short as she heard something click against the cobblestone ground. Cera held her breath, flattening herself against the wall of the alley as a Worgen slowly walked past the entrance. The beast sniffed the air, growling low as his yellow eyes looked around. Cera did her best to hide herself within the shadows of the boxes occupying the area, it seemed to work as the beast growled again and lumbered off.

She waited a long time before withdrawing her breath, slowly standing to her feet. Hand curled into a fist at her chest, she decided she knew what to do. Over the cries of people and the gunshots she could hear the voice of her prince, the king's son was taking action, guiding his people and ordering a rebellion. Cera stuck her head out of the alley, looking both ways before making a dash out and toward the sound of his voice.

A howl ripped through the air as the wind was knocked out of her, Cera hit the ground in a daze as she felt the full weight of a body on her. She cried out, flailing before a hand was placed over her mouth to quiet her.

"Shh! Do you want to draw their attention?" A voice of a man whispered against her ear, her eyes darting up to the male that was pushed against her. Instantly her face flared up in a blush, going silent as she looked off in the other direction.

"Mister Johnathan! Don't scare me like that!" Cera managed to sputter out once she squirmed out from underneath him. John stood up, quickly taking her hand and dragging her off through the streets. Cera stumbled behind him, trying to keep up while her other hand reached to keep her glasses on her face. He pulled her along, avoiding the sights and snouts of the Worgen among the streets before they arrived at a large group of people.

In the middle of the group was Prince Liam Greymane, shouting words of encouragement to his people as the terrified citizens tried to pay attention to his words. John held Cera's hand tightly as he looked on over the crowd, the guards handing men and women willing to fight weapons of their choice. She looked over at him, flinching as she tried to pry her hand from his.

" Mister Johnathan what's going on? W-Why are there Worgen everywhere?" She whined lightly too him, jerking forward as he pulled her downward to make sure she knew he wasn't letting go.

"Worgen have decided to overrun the city, they're infecting nearly everyone with the curse. Those that have managed to get away are going to take up arms against them. Do you think you can do that Ceralena?"

"I uh … I'll try." Cera lowered her head, listening to the shouts of the rallied people. The grip on her hand was released when John was handed a weapon, a shot gun. Cera was handed a weapon next, but it wasn't what she had expected to be given.

"A stick?" She asked, head tilting as she was given a staff to work with. The man handing out the weapons simply gave her a shrug and continued on. Her attention turned to John as he loaded the gun, she frowning a little as she lazily swung the staff about in lame practice.

"Come on Cera, everyone's heading out." John motioned to her to follow him, and with quick strides to avoid getting left behind she followed, holding the staff in both hands. The two walked along the streets, where John would make quick ease of the worgen by shooting them in the head, Cera wasn't as lucky and any she had come across were quickly beaten to death by the staff she was given. She wasn't too built so it was either she finally killed them, or they had come down with massive bruises and a headache and ran off to recover from her beating.

After a few hours of fending off the worgen in the city the two were left on their own in the empty streets. Most people had evacuated and John had made sure of that. Cera slumped to the ground, tossing the bloody staff to the side as she let out a sigh of relief. Her companion turned to her after reloading the gun with the last bullets he had on him.

"Feeling alright Cera? I think we're in the clear to head with the others." He smiled at her, kneeling as he looked her over to make sure she was alright. She blushed as she looked up at him, sliding back against the wall behind her as she tried to keep the distance between them.

"I'm fine, really." She squeaked out. John smiled, nodding before looking his body over for any missed wounds. Watching him, Cera felt to do the same thing, making sure she managed to slip thought the claws of any of those beasts without harm. John stood, explaining to Cera that he was going to check the way back to make sure they could get through and in return she was to stay safe, hidden in the shadows. She nodded her head in understanding an with that he left her alone as he headed out.

Cera knew it was a bad idea, neither of them should have been left alone. Even the worgen knew it was much better and safer to travel in packs. Thirty minutes had passed as Cera sat alone in the darkness of the alley. She had remained silent, something she was good at and certainly didn't need reminders of how to do so. Cera was growing bored, eyes glaring at the brick wall across from her through dirty glasses. Foolishly she stood, exposing herself from the shadows as she headed to the entrance of the alley.

"Mister Johnathan?" No answer. Cera stuck her head out and glanced around the corner. Suddenly her face was covered by a large, furry hand as her head was slammed back into the opposite wall. She shrieked out at the impact, the pain in the back of her head was splitting. Vision blurred, it took time for her eyes to adjust before she saw the snarling face of a worgen in front of her. Eyes widened in fear as the beast's yellow eyes glared into her own, causing a distracting chill to run down her spine.

The worgen's large hand released her face, causing her to slide down the wall, hitting the ground with a thud. Steam from the cold air meeting the breath of the beast rose into the air as his head lowered, glaring at her, eying her with hunger. Cera was scared beyond movement, paralyzed in fear. Of course she had to deal with these creatures not hours ago, but she was now cornered by one, and her mind had gone blank.

The worgen closed in and suddenly snapped at her, and out of pure instinct did Cera manage to move her head out of the way. Suddenly she found the adrenaline to move, and quickly crawled out from underneath him, standing and running off as quickly as she could. The worgen gave chase, much stronger and faster then she was he easily tracked her down, digging his feet into her back as he threw her to the ground.

Cera whined helplessly as her arms flailed out to the sides, hands digging at the cobblestone under her. Powerful hands gripped her shoulders and flipped her over, the beast grinning at her with malicious intent. It was then that she noticed something different, the shredded remains of the clothing the worgen wore. This beast … was Johnathan. Her eyes looked up into the worgen's own as she was pinned to the street, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek.

"Mister Johnathan … please … snap out of this. It's me, Ceralena!" Cera pleaded with him, John glaring at her hand before smacking it away. She yelped and before she could react he drew down, snapping his teeth around her neck. Fangs sinking deep into the skin, Cera only managed to cough out once before blood followed. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as the circulation of air was cut, and her vision faded, the last thing she heard was the sound of a gun being shot.

"I don't think she's going to wake up."

"Give her time, she's still breathing so it's a good sign she's still alive."

"Of course she's alive, no one dies if they're still breathing. That doesn't mean she'll wake up though. What does it matter anyway? She's one of them now, should be put down like the rest of them."

"She's responding well to the treatment, there's no need to exterminate her."

"How can you tell? She's not even awake!"

The bickering going on in the background caused her eyes to shift open. Her vision was blurred, due to both her grogginess and her missing glasses. The two voices continued to talk, Cera's eyes straining to see. She managed to make out two figures across a room, and yet it sounded like they were close to her. She tried shifting her arms, finding that they were restrained. The sounds of chains clanking against her caught her attention, her neck also felt a little restricted.

Cera could smell the ocean, feel the ground beneath her alter slightly. From what she could tell she was on boat, but where said boat was she didn't know. Her body had been chained to the wall of the room she was in, arms and legs bound with shackles while around her neck was a loosely present one, giving her limited movement.

For whatever reason she didn't wish to be where ever she was. She started resenting the feeling, the presence of people around her. She was quickly growing irritated an soon began to growl low, pulling against her restraints. This caught the attention of the people across the room, one of them was tall and lanky, their skin a fair shade of blue and their ears long. She wasn't sure what this creature was, it was obviously female judging from what she could make of it, and this woman had long, flowing green hair.

"Looks like your mongrel is awake." The female scowled at Cera, and for some reason this outraged her. Cera growled low, very canine like before a snarl of anger escaped. She lunged forward, causing the chains holding her to the wall to tighten and keep her in place. The other person, who looked like an aging man wearing white robes calmly walked to her, but still kept his distance.

"Easy Ceralena, you are among friends, the Night Elves here have rescued us from certain doom." The man spoke calmly, and his words oddly soothed her. The chains slacked as she relaxed, but her eyes still remained locked on this being that the man had called a Night Elf.

"Where … am I? What happened?" Cera managed to speak, but was surprise to find that her voice sounded gruff and hoarse.

"I'm afraid you were … infected with the curse when you were attacked." The man regretfully held out a small hand mirror to her. "However since you are able to speak, it means that the antidote has worked and you are fully capable of hanging on to your humanity, er hopefully."

Cera looked at him for a long moment before lifting up the mirror. Bloodshot eyes stared back at her, a face she was unfamiliar with. It was extremely canine, wolf snout, timber colored fur over her face. This man was right, she had become one of them, she was a worgen. She let out a howl of anguish, throwing the mirror across the room as she buried her face in her hands. Ugh, her hands, disfigured and awkward, only four fingers instead of the normal human five and long claws which just didn't belong.. She hated herself, hated what she had become.

The green haired Night Elf watched her before looking over to the man. "The boats are docking soon, you may have the honor of unhooking her from the wall. Judging by her reaction to her looks, I think she would be more suited to the human lifestyles of Stormwind."

"Right, we'll get her on the boat to Stormwind right away." The old man sighed, looking to the hystarical Cera as she cried, or what sounded like crying. "Well then girl, let's get these chains off you then, hmm?"


	2. Homeless

Author's Note: A lot of the people that are up an coming to this Fanfiction are b ased on the characters my friends play and those who have interacted with Cera in game. While their meeting in this story is not exactly the same as it was within WoW, it's still somewhat similar, and was exaggerated a little to add to the story rather then hinder it cause their meetings in game were simple or I had forgotten how they met. I want to thank all my friends for giving me permission to include their awesome characters in my story. ^_^

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**Chapter Two**

**Homeless**

Cera was placed on a boat bound for Stormwind with several other Gilneans. Before their departure each one was taught how to control their worgen side when and when not they wished to be seen in it. As soon as she had learned to return to her normal self it was what she had done, she never wished to see that other horrible beast she had become. The king of Stormwind had been informed of the incoming group, and as such had given an announcement to his city to treat these people as what they were, people.

Not everyone agreed with their king, and in response to these new people, new _worgen _as many stated, greeting their new citizens with sneers and dirty looks. Cera was hopelessly confused, she didn't understand why she was here, why she couldn't go back to her home in Gilneas. Had the city been over run by feral worgen? She thought to ask some of the other people, but she wasn't sure how to. The Gilneans that chose to remain in worgen form scared her, and most of the ones that remained human were too upset in their own rights. It was best to leave everyone alone.

The boat was docked at the harbor, Gilneans alike being shuttled out like sheep from pasture. Cera was among them, looking up at the large city from where she could see it. She was much shorter compared to other humans, and even in that accursed other form, she was short. Being able to see anything at her height was more then an achievement. She was lucky enough to be able to see past any of the people around her.

As predicted the people of Stormwind were not as friendly as one may have thought. Dirty looks were given, people talked of them in whispers as they passed. It was hard to walk with the feeling of heavy stares boring down upon them.

"Why has the king allowed these beasts into our city?" One woman whispered to another.

"What if they turn on us?"

"They are not safe! What will the children think of nightmarish beasts walking the streets!"

Each person they passed, each insult whispered behind their backs was like a slap in the face to Cera.

_No, I'm not like them … I'm not a beast … I'm not a vision of nightmare! _She thought to herself as a man gave her a disgusted look. The group of people had soon dispersed, leaving Cera to her own. What was she going to do now? A day ago she was living her semi happy life in Gilneas, eating apples, working her job at the market, and living each day as peaceful as the last. Suddenly in mere hours her life was changed, for the worst.

Cera found herself wandering the streets aimlessly, in a daze and almost zombie like. She didn't know where she was going, she didn't even know where she was. It felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and it didn't help that she felt like she didn't know anything. Cera had lived a sheltered life, her entire existence was spent behind the wall of Greymane, she had no knowledge of anything that happened, that went on beyond it. She really had no clue as to why the wall was built.

She never questioned why though, for that wall signified solitude, strong will, and protection. Who would want to question something that protected? Since she knew nothing of went on beyond the wall, she never wished to know, lest it disrupt the peaceful life she lived. Now she was practically ripped from that dream life she had and thrown to the wolves in a sense. She could no longer claim her old life, she was no longer human. As much as she refused to accept it, she was a Worgen, and nothing could ever change that now.

"Hey, do you think this one's still alive?"

"Poke her again!" The light snicker of children greeted Ceralena this morning, along with a jab in the side with a stick. She winced, quickly smacking the stick away as her eyes shot open, glaring at the two boys from behind her glasses.

"AH! RUN! BEORE SHE TURNS INTO A WOLF MAN!" One of them cried out, the both of them rushing off and laughing. Wrapped in a dirty blanket, Cera was finally waking up. She was homeless, living within the streets of Stormwind like one of the many already homeless people there. Although a large amount of them had migrated to Westfall, most Gilneans stayed within the city. A large amount of them had found jobs and had returned to a semi normal life.

Cera didn't have any extraordinary skills. She tried writing like her mother, but wasn't as skilled. The only thing she had to fall back on was craftsmanship. She had practiced making jewelery, and when she had the materials she would make some and sell them for money in order to keep herself alive. They weren't fantastic, but they were home made, and held more sentimental value rather then something from one of the larger shops.

Today she wasn't feeling too well, she didn't even feel like moving. She forced herself up however, throwing the dirty blanket aside and smoothing out her hair as she could. She certainly didn't look presentable. It had been a week since she first arrived in Stormwind, she mostly kept to herself as people avoided her like the plague, but she kind of knew her way around the city now.

She stayed in the Old Town district of the city, there were plenty of alleys, places she could sleep and once in a while a sympathetic citizen would give her food from the local pub "Pig and Whistle" when she couldn't afford something on her own. A simple walk for today was all she needed, once the "new kid on the block" fad died down she'd be able to walk freely without criticizing eyes on her.

The training grounds were rather empty in the morning, so Cera took the opportunity to sit around in the quiet. This morning however it seemed she wasn't the only one who had that idea. Cera stopped in her tracks at the sound of sword hitting wood, a young man in simple plate armor and a sword and shield whacked away at one of the training dummies. He looked to be in his early twenties, long brown hair tied back in a rogue knot. He had deep brown eyes that almost looked black if one saw them from a distance.

He occasionally would throw around lights that did much damage to his targets, causing Cera's attention to stick to him. She hid herself behind a tree, watching what he was doing, she had never seen anything like that before! This warrior was somehow able to call upon the Light and use it to his will! He didn't seem to notice her watching him, which she was very much grateful for. In order to better understand what he was she decided to take notes, getting a small notebook and a quill from her satchel.

Cera began taking notes, writing everything he did as she quietly observed him from behind the tree. It wasn't long though before the man realized he had eyes upon him, and stopped, looking around for the source. She stopped writing, hiding herself farther behind the tree, not noticing that her back end was sticking out from the other side of the tree.

"Who's there?" He looked at the other side of the tree where her back was seen, she gritting her teeth before moving forward to step out from behind the tree.

"How were you doing that?" Cera suddenly asked, disregarding his question.

"Doing what?" He returned, a little confusion in his voice.

"That thing with the Light, how were you using it, you don't look like any priest I've seen..."

"Using … priest … what?"

"How were you telling the Light to attack that dummy?" Cera shouted and pointed at the dummy he was recently hitting.

"I'm a paladin..." The man spoke low, shy demeanor. He then fell completely silent once he realized he was holding a conversation with a woman. Ceralena let herself sit on the ground, pen and pad ready as she looked at him expectantly. He wasn't sure what to say, he wasn't terribly well at talking with women in the first place and with this one that had been watching him from behind a tree, he was a little uncomfortable with the situation.

"My name is Ceralena Lambelle, who are you?" Cera introduced herself after a large amount of silence. Normally she didn't give the time of day to anyone here, but for some reason this young man seemed different. She really wanted to know who he was and how he did what he did. At first he didn't say anything, half tempted to turn around and continue what he was doing, ignoring her, but finally he sighed, speaking softly and shyly.

"Balverine Carrick."

"Nice name." She nodded in approval. Balverine looked around nervously, as if looking for a way to escape the conversation. He then looked down as she now stood in front of him, holding her hand out for a shake. He watched her before taking it, giving a soft smile. He noticed her disheveled appearance, messy hair, she looked like she had not bathed for a while, luckily she didn't smell like it yet.

"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before till now." He asked her politely, Cera releasing his hand with a light blush.

"I just arrived here a week ago actually. I come from-" Cera stopped herself. She knew how people treated her if they knew she was Gilnean, and if this man was anything like the people of this city, she knew better then to tell him where she came from. "... in the mountains..."

"The mountains?" He said with more confusion in his voice. Lucky for Cera she didn't have the accent most Gilneans did, so she could easily hide her identity when it came to this.

"Yup, deep in the mountains!" She affirmed her answer. "Now, could you explain to me what a … Paladin is?"

"Oh … um … well..." He began to speak. He wasn't the one to come to for information, but since he was the only one there, he decided to share the knowledge he had. He began to explain to her what Paladins were, how they did what they did, and where they originated. Cera soaked up the information like a sponge, writing down what she could to have it for later use.

The conversation went on for a while, the both of them growing more comfortable in each others presence. Cera didn't feel the need to worry about how he saw her and well … Balverine simply felt better he didn't have to contribute to the talk alone. It soon had gotten dark, the two standing and saying their good-byes. It seemed like to her that she had finally made a friend in the city, he was nice to her, didn't think less of her if she looked a mess, and even helped her learn some things she didn't know before.

"Ceralena, where do you live? I'll walk you home, make sure you're alright." Balverine asked her with a small bashful smile.

"O-Oh! No that's alright … It's … right in town here, you know!" Cera laughed nervously, waving her hands in front of her in denial. "T-Thanks for all the input! See you later!"

"Wait!" He attempted to talk her out of it but she was already rushing off, he giving a simple wave and a confused look. "Alright, bye then..."

Once Cera was sure she was out of eyesight she gave a soft sigh, smiling softly as she hugged herself. Finally! A friend of some sort! She was more excited about this then one person should be, but in her situation is was a miracle she had friends at all. She walked back to her alley with a skip in her step and a smile on her face, the happiest she had been in the past days.

She arrived at her spot when that smile on her face was suddenly gone, looking down where her dirty blanket should have been she was met with nothing. She looked around the area, wondering if one of the other homeless took it, but couldn't find anything at all. With a sigh she sat down, crossing her arms with a disappointed grunt.

A hard object was thrown at her head, causing her to yelp out as she flailed her arms over her head, taking cover from the assault. The children from earlier laughed as they pointed at her, waving a few bones in their hands.

"Here doggy, have a bone!" One snickered at her, throwing another at her. She flinched as it hit her again, she grabbing one of the two that were thrown at her and chucking it back at them. The two children screamed from the sudden lash out and turned running off, dropping their things as they did. Cera frowned as she looked down at the ground, arms crossing around herself under her chest as she held herself.

The night had passed on for her luckily uneventful, morning of a new day had arrived and Cera could be found laying against her side, although she had the feeling of eyes upon her. Her own eyes opened to look around groggy at a small group a people around her. Sitting up she watched as the group quickly dispersed, Cera looking around in confusion as to what they were looking at. Dried tears had gone down the side of her face, she must have been crying in her sleep again.

She stood as she took the back of her sleeve, wiping the dried tears away and adjusting her satchel on her side. She was lucky enough no one tried to take it but that was because she always wore it. Ceralena stood, looking up to the sky as a few birds flew past. How lucky would she be to get wings and just fly away from this life she was forced in. A light smile formed on her face at the sight, giving an admirable sigh as she longed to take off into the skies with them.

While she was off daydreaming in the skies, her attention was elsewhere, two men had moved into the alleyway. They both looked at each other, then smirked as they reached out, taking Cera by the arms and pinning her back against the wall. She gasped out as her attention was ripped back into reality, her eyes wide as the two men grinned at her.

"My my, what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" One of them licked their lips, gripping her shoulder painfully tight. She whined before she threw herself forward, taking the two by surprise but in turn the tight grip on her shoulder and the sudden jerk forward caused her clothing to rip at the shoulder. Without the support of the fabric, her shirt looked too big for her as half of it hung off her shoulder.

Shoving away she grabbed her bag, taking off down the alleyway while the men gave quick pursuit. She moved out into the main streets, slamming into someone and causing herself to fall backwards to the ground and her glasses to fly off her face. Blurry eyes looked up at the figure, however even if she couldn't see who it was, she knew the scent anywhere.

"M-Mister Balverine!" She stuttered up at him, the paladin looking down at her before looking up at the two men who stopped short of the exit of the alley. They took one look at him before running back down the alleyway and out of sight. Cera turned, watching the blurred figures leave before turning her attention up at Bal.

"You alright Cera?" He asked, offering a hand to help her up. She didn't take his hand, instead was feeling around the ground for her glasses. He looked at her, then to her glasses off to the side, her kneeling down and picking them up before placing them in her hands. "Here..."

"T-Thanks..." Cera spoke softly as she placed her, glancing up at him before she blushed once she found out where he caught her.

"What are you doing in a place like this?" He asked her, peering behind her at the alley. It was then when he noticed her clothing had been ripped, and the disheveled state she was in. "Do you … live here?"

"N-No!" She blurted out a little too defensively. She then sighed, reluctantly nodding her head. She was ashamed to be seen like this, she letting her bag drop to the ground as she landed on her knees.

"Ceralena, I had no idea you were homeless." Balverine frowned with concern, just now noticing the bandages around her neck. "And you're hurt, when did this happen?"

Cera blinked, reaching to her neck to feel the wool bandages wrapped around it. Where did she get these from? She couldn't remember the reason she wore them. As a matter of fact she didn't even feel the cloth most the time. She concentrated, trying to remember the reason for the bandage before it hit her. She remembered the reason...

"_M-Mister Johnathan?" _Cera could remember the fear, remembered the pain she felt at the clawed hands of her former friend. The feeling of his teeth around her neck, the loss of breath. She remembered a foggy glimpse of several Gilnean citizens coming to her aid, killing Johnathan in the process but his fate was unavoidable. Cera stared blankly into space, Balverine waving his hand in front of her face a little in order to snap her out of it. She finally managed to come to, she blinking before looking at him with a deep frown.

"Er … look, why don't you come with me to the Cathedral, I'm sure there's some people there that can help you better then I can." Balverine said with a smile to her, however he quickly withdrew his hand, as to avoid any close contact with her.

"Yeah..." It was all she could manage to blurt out, still looking a little traumatized at her flashback.

After a while of a walk Balverine had led her to a large building. Long steps with a blue silk carpet leading up the middle of it to a large architectural masterpiece. This was the Cathedral of Light, home to the priests and paladins of Stormwind. Cera knew this building from her daily wandering of the streets, but was never really inclined to get up to it for a closer look. The Paladin at her side smiled a little as he watched her look around the great hall with interest.

"Are you hungry at all?" He offered her a smile as they headed into the small side room. This place was an area for the public, it held many books on shelves which quickly caught Cera's interest. However the mention of food was more important. She nodded to him, pressing her glasses up closer to her face. Balverine offered her one of the chairs at the tables in the area, letting her sit while he hustled off to find her a meal.

Deep blue eyes looked down at the table in front of her, a few books laid on it, along with one that was left open from the previous reader. She slowly reached across the table, pulling it towards her and adjusting her glasses so she could see the words more clearer. 'The Book of First Beginnings' was the name written on the cover, author named Father Aros Drakewing. Cera flipped over the pages, starting to read the contents inside.

It was a book about the religion of the Light, it's followers and the various groups that followed it. Cera was engrossed in the reading, nose deep into the book before she blinked once she realized eyes were upon her. She looked up, glancing around the room but didn't seem to notice anyone around. Going back to bury her nose in the book, it was interrupted when Balverine came into the room holding two plates of food.

Setting one down in front of him and one in front of her, he unwrapped the cloth from around them, showing two dinner plates complete with steak and small red potatoes. Cera looked down at the plate, giving a blank stare at the meat and potatoes. Balverine was already at work on his plate, taking large chunks of the steak he cut off and chewing them obnoxiously with his mouth open. Cera watched him, tilting her head before looking back down at her plate once more. She wasn't much of a meat eater, enjoying fruits, apples in particular, to the savory meats.

However once the smell of the steak caught her nose, she looked at it with a look of hunger. Unexplained urges to devour the meat coursed through her, her eyes getting a little bloodshot before she simply took the meat into her hands, chomping down on it and tearing pieces off ferociously. Balverine stopped what he was doing, watching her with an odd look which caused her to stop as well, mid bite she slowly lowered the steak from her mouth, her mouth still open as she did.

"I didn't get you a fork or knife, I'm sorry." He said, setting his own utensils down as he stood up.

"N-No no, it's okay! I prefer to eat my food with my hands anyway!" Cera lied through her teeth, closing her mouth once she set the steak down and pushed it away from her a little. She realized what she had done, that atrocity of a beast inside her almost escaped. She sighed as she lowered her head, Balverine taking a seat once more.

"You know, I'm sure the Cathedral will let you stay here till you get on your feet, that's what they're here for." He said, smiling before taking another bite of his meal. Cera looked up at him, smiling back softly as a blush went over her cheeks.

"That's very nice of them if they'd let me." She replied, looking down once again to hide her blush. Balverine looked at her with an odd look, unsure as to why she kept staring down.

"I'm positive they would, the people of the Clergy are wonderful people."

"Clergy?"

"Clergy of the Holy Light, they are the people who help keep this cathedral up and running, a guild of the finest paladins and priests." Balverine smiled, looking quite proud of the people he spoke of. Cera lifted her head finally, her blush had cleared up, somewhat.

"I would … love to meet some of them." Cera finally managed to speak out before placing her hands in her lap.

"Well you've already met one." He smirked, beaming a little in his smile.

"Huh?"

"I'm one of their members, I'm only a novice but some day soon I'll be a full fledged paladin."

"Oh!" Cera's eyes lit up as she smiled at him, reaching out and taking his hands in her own as hopped in her seat in excitement for him. Suddenly both their faces heated up in a blush, Cera quickly withdrawing her hands from his while Balverine hid his own under the table. He cleared his throat nervously, soon returning his hands from hiding as he reached for her half eaten plate.

"Are you finished? I'll take care of these if you are."

"Er … yeah, but … hey Bal?"

"Hng?" He stopped in mid grab of her plate, looking at her.

"I was wondering … where I come from … I didn't really learn a lot about the world, and you look like you know quite a lot about it. W-Would you mind … if I accompany you for a while? You could teach me everything about this world that I don't know." Cera smiled at him hopefully. He stared at her a long while, that small blush creeping up on his face as he contemplated his answer. It couldn't hurt, right? Maybe?

"Um well, sure I guess. I'm not exactly the best to come to for lessons but I'll see what I can do." Balverine replied. Cera's eyes lit up once more in happiness, but resisted the urge to grab his hands lest she start another awkward moment between them. Bal took the plates away, leaving the room and Cera to her thoughts.

Cera realized that Balverine was the only person she didn't call 'Mister'. Normally when addressing people she didn't know, or even people she did know, she always tacked a 'Mister' or 'Miss' in front of their name, regardless if they were married or not. However with him, she didn't feel the need to. She was comfortable with just saying his name normally. She wasn't sure why.

Once Balverine returned he showed her to the sleeping quarters. Surprisingly the beds weren't full, as a matter of fact there was only a few people here, despite the rising number of homeless people within the city. She wondered why that was the case.

"I'll be back in the morning I suppose." Balverine said, reaching back and scratching the back of his neck in a light embarrassed reaction. Ceralena nodded, smiling to him as she sat on the bed. He quickly left, trying to find refuge from the blush that was growing over his cheeks once again. Cera laid back into the bed once he was gone, arms behind her head as slowly she drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow would be the new start in her life she was looking for, she just knew it.


	3. Fatal Attraction

Author's Note: Again want to thank my friends for letting me use their characters for Cera's story, and as usual some of the story my not be accurate as to what happened in game, cause you know, it never rains in Stormwind, hur hur.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Fatal Attraction**

Ceralena had never felt so refreshed, relieved. It was the best night of sleep she had had since coming to Stormwind. Her arms stretched up over her head, whining lightly as she stretched herself out to get herself up and running. She swung her feet around and over the side of the bed, glancing around the room. There wasn't anyone else in the room as far as she could see, which was good enough for her cause she didn't really want to talk to anyone anyway.

She pushed herself up from the bed, grabbing her satchel and putting the strap over her shoulder and across her chest, heading out to the great hall of the Cathedral. The area was quite busy for the morning, people stopping in and paying their respects, offering prayers while others who looked like priests were tending to the alter or listening to the confessions of the attendants. Cera looked around the hall before heading out to leave, bypassing a few people before stopping as she stared down at someone, or rather a group of people. Cera was stunned.

Conversing on the steps was a group of small human like creatures. They all looked like children with high pitched voices, chatting and giggling and causing Cera to subconsciously sneak closer to them. She stopped behind one of them, watching them with interest as she knelt, still not even remotely close to their height even when she got down to her knees. Two of the creatures looked up at her till the one she stood behind looked up at her, offering a kind smile.

"Hello there!" The creature in front of her said. The small woman looked young, pink hair tied back into a ponytail while her bangs feathered off to the sides of her forehead. She wore a vest with a white shirt underneath, and a blue skirt, much similar to the one Cera herself wore. She had a scent to her that smelled a lot like sweets.

"Little people..." Cera muttered out to her, slowly reaching out to pat the pink haired one on the head. The small woman blinked, accepting the pat before giving a soft giggle.

"Not little people, Gnomes!" She smiled, looking up at her. Cera looked down at her before expanding the space between her and gnome, blushing from her ignorance.

"G-Gnomes? What's a Gnome?" Cera asked rather bluntly, the two other gnomes looking at each other with a confused look.

"Well, we're gnomes!" The pink haired one grinned, clasping her hands together before handing one out to her. "My name is Ninwyn Loopop, you are?"

"C-Ceralena Lambelle..." Cera said slowly, still amazed with these people in front of her while she reached out, missing Ninwyn's hand completely a few times before finally clasping the tiny hand in her own.

"Nice to meet you Ceralena!" The gnome shook her hand from within Cera's, then tried to pull her hand away, giving it a couple of yanks before Cera finally got the picture and let go.

"S-Sorry..."

"It's okay, are you new to Stormwind? I don't think I've seen you around before." Ninwyn asked, taking a seat on the steps of the cathedral.

"I uh … come from … far away..." Cera looked off to the side, sitting down as well instead of kneeling. At least this way she was close enough to hold a normal conversation rather then towering over her.

"Are you one of the Gilnean refugees?" She asked innocently enough, however it caused Cera to cringe, looking around to see if anyone heard her.

"Nope! Not from there!" She blurted out, waving her hands defensively in front of her. There was a small awkward silence before Ninwyn cleared her throat, still smiling kindly.

"Well, welcome to Stormwind anyway!"

"Yes … thank you." Cera nodded, glancing around before looking back down to the gnome. "Is there a place to get apples around here?"

"Hmm, there's apple trees all around Stormwind if you're tall enough to pick them!" Ninwyn pointed across the square, many of the trees in the area had shiny red apples hanging from the branches, while on the ground near them were ripe, but not as appealing apples. Cera's eyes lit up at the sight of the apples and quickly stood, getting ready to take off until she found her manners, she giving a light bow to the gnome.

"Thank you Miss Ninwyn!" She chimed at her, then took off for the trees.

"See you around then Ceralena!"

Cera looked up at one of the apple trees within the square, frowning as she compared her height to the towering tree above her. She bit her bottom lip, then narrowed her eyes behind her glasses, reaching out and grasping at the bark of the tree. Cera was never the agile type, falling, tripping, just generally getting into trouble in the oddest way possible. However now there was something different about her. She had confidence, something she lacked before.

With ease she began to scale the tree, reaching the branches as she pulled herself up and sat down on a more sturdy one. She grinned as all she had to do was reach up in front of her and begin picking the ripe apples above her. Cera made sure to keep her balance, taking each apple she picked and placing it into her satchel for later.

"I'll get a few for Balverine too!" Cera said with a smile to herself, wondering what kind of apple he liked. There were so many kinds to choose from, red apples, goldenbark, green and yellow. Her apple fascination might have looked odd to some people, but she couldn't help but love the fruit, it was what she had grown up on! With a few final reaches she had picked her quota, her satchel bulging with her belongings and the more then a dozen apples within. Cera began to descend the tree, holding onto the bark as she slowly climbed her way down.

Once her feet hit solid ground she smoothed down her skirt, a large happy grin present on her face. She was headed on her way back to the Cathedral, a skip in her step as she walked. There wasn't possibly any way for her day to be ruined. Cera walked up the large steps, looking at the building before glancing at the start of the walls surrounding the steps at the top. She would wait for Balverine outside, catch him before he went inside and offer him an apple.

Gently she took a seat on the steps, setting her bag down beside her and leaning her back against the wall. Hours had passed as she waited on those steps, every hour that happy smile on her face would start to fade before there was simply nothing left but a thin line across her lips. Bal had never shown up and now it was starting to get dark, the street lamps getting lit one by one. She wasn't sure what was going on, why would he say he'd be here today, but not show up.

With a heavy sigh Cera slowly stood up, lifting her bag up over her shoulder. She knew the streets of Stormwind were a dangerous place at night and it would make sense for her to turn in now. Where was he? Thoughts swirled around in her head as she headed inside the Cathedral and to the back room with all the beds. Was he hurt somewhere? Did he get lost? Wait how would he get lost … he was in this city every day longer then she was.

She turned to head into the resting room, stopping short as she saw someone already in there. It was a man more then likely older then her, yet still in his twenties. Long silvery hair was tied back in a ponytail and he wore dark green robes. Cera's head tilted a little as she watched him from the doorway, he seemed to be writing in a book as he sat at one of the tables. The man's head lifted from the book once he noticed her, offering a smile and a nod.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." Cera frowned, her bag lowering in front of her lap.

"Nonsense, you are more then welcome to come in." The man smiled, offering her one of many chairs around the table where he was at. She took him up on the offer, moving in and setting herself at the table. She looked at the book he wrote it, staring at it intently.

"Are you writing poems?" She asked, trying not to intrude but that wasn't covering up the fact that she was basically leaning over the table to see what he was writing.

"Ah no, this is a text book for the novices of the Clergy, it has information gathered by various sources along with my own. I'm just making sure everything is in order." The man gave a small chuckle as he spoke, lowering his quill to the table.

"Clergy? Oh! Bal told me about them! He said they're really nice people! Are you part of them too?" She spoke with excited tones to her voice, nearly bouncing in her seat.

"Father Aros Drakewing." He simply said, offering his hand out to her in greeting. Cera reached out, taking his hand in her own and giving it a nice shake. Once she returned her hand to her lap, glancing down at the book he was once writing in.

"Ceralena Lambelle, oh! You wrote that book that was in the other room!" Cera smiled as she introduced herself, then remembered the book she had been reading when she had first got here.

"That I did." Aros nodded to her, giving her a light smile.

"It's written really well, very literate! Do you like apples?"

"I'm partial to green myself." He said with a smile. Cera opened her bag, digging through the various apples that she had collected earlier in the day. She frowned when she couldn't find any that were green.

"I don't have any green on me, but next time I find one I'll bring one for you!"

"I would like that very much, perhaps we could even have some hot apple cider to go with them?" The man smiled once he saw Cera's eyes light up like fireworks. She nodded happily, standing up and throwing the strap of her satchel over her shoulder.

"I look forward to having those apples with you!" Cera said with a wave to him, Aros waved back with a smile as he watched her head over to the sleeping quarters. She was happy she was making friends so fast now that she was within the care of the cathedral, as long as she didn't say anything to them about who she was, where she was from, she would be fine. However she was starting to grow concerned with the whereabouts of Balverine, he had not shown up to the cathedral that day when he said he would. She would have to go look for him soon if he didn't come back to her.

–

A couple days had rolled around and again Cera waited outside on the steps of the cathedral, each day Balverine had not returned, and yet she still sat there, waiting for him to come back. She told herself each day that if he didn't come back she would go look for him the next day, but her hope held out that he would return on his own. It was getting to the third day and her hope was starting to wear thin. After a small conversation with Ninwyn she lifted herself up off the steps, grabbing the strap to her bag and marched inside the Cathedral. It had been far to long for him not to show up and she was going to go find him where ever he was.

Cera packed her bag with things she thought she needed. She didn't have a lot to start out with but something was better the nothing. After packing the final thing she gave a nod of determination to herself, grinning and turning around only to slam face first into someone. She fell back to the floor, her satchel spilling it's contents on the floor as apples rolled out at her feet. She looked up at the person she had run into, her eyes going wide as she saw Balverine before her. Well, at least she didn't have to go out to look for him now.

"B-Balverine!" She managed to sputter something out, her eyes locked on the bandages that covered a lot of his body. "What happened to you?"

"Don't worry about it Cera." Balverine gave a small sigh as he adjusted his arm by rolling his shoulders a little.

"Don't worry about it? You were gone for almost a week and now you come back with a bunch of bandages? How can I not worry!" Cera frowned, whining at him as she reached up and took hold of his hand. He looked down at her, giving a small sigh and allowing her to hold his hand as she used it to pull herself up.

"Listen, come walk with me. I guess I have to tell you what happened."

He lead her along to the cemetery, Cera frowning the entire time as he told her stories about a warlock, a holy artifact that he was entrusted to protect, the unholy thing that had been done to him. Hearing these things infuriated her, made her inner worgen growl and howl to be released. She tried to keep it under control, her voice growing raspy as she spoke to him.

"W-Why didn't you come to me for help?" She asked him as they finally sat down on one of the stone benches.

"B ecause you don't belong in these problems, this is my burden to bare alone and me alone." He looked over at her, listening to the tenseness in her voice.

"Of course I belong! That's what friends do Balverine! We help each other!" She barked at him, her eyes becoming blood shot, her teeth were beginning to turn more canine like.

"Ceralena, I ask you as a friend, to stay out of this. It is not your war." Balverine spoke firmly, causing Cera to frown before reluctantly agreeing.

"Fine..." She muttered softly, making a small noise of disagreement. He gave her a kind, gentle smile before he finally said something after a long pause of silence.

"You're from Gilneas, aren't you?"

"W-What? No, I told you I was from the mountains!" She stuttered out, Balverine shaking his head lightly.

"You don't have to hide it Cera, you're a worgen, aren't you?" He spoke with kindness in is voice, not the harsh tone that others before him did when they knew what she really was. Cera stared at him, frowning deeply before her body began to shift. Fur began to cover her body, her hair growing out into a long mane of fur, her once blue eyes were now canine like and bloodshot. Her ears lowered in shame as she closed her eyes, Balverine looking her over with observant eyes.

"I knew you had to have been Gilnean when I first met you. The sudden rush of immigrants from the city, the fact that you showed up around the time everyone else did?"

"I … um..." She looked flustered, her ears lowering more before they drooped behind her head like a puppy. Balverine looked at her and with a gentle touch he placed his hand on her muzzle, giving her a comforting pet. Cera's eyes lifted, looking at him from the half-moon glasses that balanced on her nose.

"You don't have to worry about me judging you Cera, I know plenty of worgen that are wonderful people, including you." He said, Cera looking at him as a large blush formed under the fur on her cheeks. Thanks to her fur's dark color, it wasn't noticeable other then sudden look of adoration on her face. With her ears still lowered, her head leaned down, bumping against his chest as she nuzzled into him. Balverine blinked, looking down at her with wide eyes as a blush formed on his face and he gave an unsure hug to her, giving her a pat on the back.

"_I won't interfere … unless you get hurt again..."_

Weeks went by, and each day Cera found herself falling for this paladin a little more. The more time she spent with him, the closer it brought her to him, however it was not the other way around. While Cera found herself infatuated with this man, Balverine wasn't feeling the same. Cera would care for him as she could, while she wasn't the best cook in the world, she made him meals. She brought him gifts of the best, fresh picked apples she could find. Yet he turned all these gifts away. He began setting a distance between them, avoiding her before one day he simply vanished again.

Cera grew to a point where depression began taking over her daily life style. Why was he avoiding her? Where had he gone this time? She began thinking of the things he had told her, about the warlock and the horrible things he had done. She cringed at the thought of what could happen to Balverine, and decided now it was no longer an option to stand back and watch him get hurt. Cera was going to help him whether he liked it or not.

Thunder rolled over the darkened sky as Cera looked up at it. It was almost like the depressing rain had followed her from Gilneas. Her satchel bulged with the contents of apples, she stood at the bottom of the steps of the Cathedral, staring up at the sky. Rain began to pour down from the clouds, causing her to move up the steps with needed haste. Only a little wet she managed to make it inside before the larger downpour started.

Cera was greeted with the scene of a crowd gathered around someone, she pushing and shoving her way through to see what was going on. Her eyes widened as she stopped at the front of the ground, Balverine laid on a bench while one of the clergy members knelt over him, muttering words under her breath while she kept her hand to his forehead.

"W-What happened?" Cera dropped her things, rushing to the edge of the bench next to him. No one answered her, she simply falling silent once she realized the crowd was being dispersed by the bishop. Cera remained at his side, not even sure what was wrong with him but none-the-less remained with him. Once the woman working on him had finished her job she got up and left, leaving Cera alone with him for a brief moment. Cera opened her mouth to speak to him, but paused when she noticed another person enter the area.

It was a woman Cera recognized as one of Balverine's friends, Mesphia. The woman glared down at her as she looked up at her innocently, Cera's glasses falling to the end of her nose.

"What are you still doing here?" Mesphia stared at her, causing Cera to flinch under the pressuring eye of this woman.

"I-I'm staying with him. H-He'd want me here with him." She managed to blurt out.

"He doesn't want you here, what do you think he was doing that whole time he was avoiding you?"

"Avoid … ing me... I..."

"He DOESN'T like you! Why don't you see that?" Mesphia shouted at her, causing Cera's eyes to widen and then shoot a glare back at her.

"T-That's a lie! He told me he liked me no matter what I looked like!"

"You're just … UGH!" The woman glared and was about to spout more words before she was pulled off by a man, Cera only assumed he was her husband. Cera looked back down at Balverine, wondering if what she said was right. Did he lie to her? Did he really not like her at all? It wasn't much longer before Balverine's eyes opened, he groaning and catching the attention of Cera.

"B-Balverine! I-I was so worried about you, are you alright?" She whimpered to him. He looked at her as if trying to clear his mind, get focused until the words rolled from his mouth.

"Go find Mes..."

Cera stared at him, lightning cracked across the sky. She was right … she had been right all along.

"But, I-"

"Cera, please, just go find her."

She slowly stood, biting her bottom lip as she nodded and moved away from him, heading to the entrance of the cathedral. She wouldn't go find her, not in this rain, who knew where they were. Besides her mind and heart felt like it was going to be torn apart. She stood in the doorway for a long time before her head turned to see Balverine walked towards her. Her heart was as light as air again before she noticed he was following a large man. He walked right past her.

"W-Where are you going now?" Cera asked him calmly, he stopping and looking back at her with a cold look.

"This doesn't concern you Cera, I told you before."

"Well I'm coming with you! I'm tired of sitting back and doing nothing as you get hurt!"

"Cera you're not coming with me, stay back now or I swear I will remove you from my life. This is what's best for you." Thunder cracked across the sky again as he gave her a threatening stare. The two began walking again, heading out into the rain as the man used his shield as a barrier to the rain. Cera gave a snort and followed after them, determined not to be pushed away any longer.

"Balverine I said I'm coming with you! Now wait!" She called out to him as she ran through the rain after him. He quickly turned around, causing her to stop and look at him with wide eyes at the glare he gave her.

"Cera I warned you and you did not listen. From this point on you are no longer part of my life."

Thunder roared in her ears after he spoke, lightning flashing across the sky as she stood there frozen. The crack of thunder was like the sound of her heart breaking in two, the words echoed in her head as she watched him and the man take off while she was stunned.

"No … wait please..." She whined, falling to her knees and holding her hand out to where he once was. Her world was suddenly spinning out of control, crumbling around her and falling apart at the very seems.


End file.
